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Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:1063-1064.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Although the article by Lee et al¹ is generally well balanced, the authors' portrayal of the childhood immunization issue is decidedly one-sided. Lee and colleagues state that "safety" and "failure to promote childhood immunization[s]" are major concerns in pediatric health care, yet they don't acknowledge the known risks associated with vaccinations, which may be responsible for many chiropractors' decision to educate parents about the benefits and possible adverse effects of vaccines rather than actively promote immunizations.

Vaccines have contributed greatly to the decreased burden of diphtheria, polio, and other infectious diseases, and without continued high vaccination-coverage rates, vaccine-preventable diseases are likely to become much more prevalent. However, mass childhood immunization programs are not without risk. While the authors focus on extremely rare complications resulting from spinal manipulation, they appear critical of the International Chiropractors Association's policy statement on vaccination, which "supports each individual's right to be made aware of the . . . [Full Text of this Article]